The arts possess the sublime power to inspire, engage, and transform. Just as a solitary note holds the ability to captivate, a single voice, gesture, or melody possesses the ineffable power to carry us away.
We invite you to embark upon a new journey with us this season at The Noorda Center—home to inspiring events and an exciting hub for the arts in Utah County. Our mission is to produce and present artistic excellence, which would not be possible without the generous support of our donors and sponsors. We thank them and express our deep gratitude to all patrons, supporters, and friends of The Noorda Center.
Thank you for journeying with us this season to experience the profound and transformative power of the arts! —Courtney R. Davis, Dean, School of the Arts
Courtney R. Davis, J.D., M.A.
Dean, School of the Arts
We are excited to present Esprit d.c., our UVU Hip Hop Performance Company, in its fourth season! The company is directed by Martina Jorgensen. Esprit is supported by the School of the Arts Department of Dance. This performance is supported in part by School of the Arts High Impact Practices Grant program and a project grant funded by the School of the Arts Engagement and Success Committee. Fueled by artistic, passionate company members, Esprit aims to bring the joy, unity, and appreciation of Hip Hop to their community.
The South got something to say, that’s all I got to say.
Choreography: KJ Mills and Paige Rasmussen
Music: Medley Mix by KJ Mills and Paige Rasmussen (Aaliyah; Nelly; Outkast; Megan Thee Stallion; Big Boss Vette; Tribal Nation; 30x; FATHERDUDE; Childish Gambino; Ludacris)
Performers: Abbie Kimber, Addison Reading, Alex Hassell, Alyssa Lange, Anika Laws, Breezy Seegmiller, Brielle Briney, Cristian Bastidas, Danielle Laws, Darci Glad, Emily Black, Evelyn Bentley, Grace Messenger, Heath Apple, Herby Fullmer, Jane Erickson, Jeremiah Gay, Jonathan Torio, Julian Laws, Kiyah Clements, Kylie Jensen, Lynley Petersen, Mallory Deutsch, Marcus Michalek, McKayla Redmond, McKenna Tower, Meg Duncan, Natalie Newbold, Summer Bringhurst, Sydney Sandoval, Trevor Busch, Tucker Dengin, Tustin Burton, Yerik Martinez Hernandez
It’s About You
Choreography: Tucker Dengin
Music: “Cautionary Tales” by Jon Bellion
Performers: Alex Hassell, Alyssa Lange, Breezy Seegmiller, Cristian Bastidas, Danielle Laws, Emily Black, Evelyn Bentley, Grace Messenger, Herby Fullmer, Lynley Petersen, Marcus Michalek, Meg Duncan, Trevor Busch, Tucker Dengin
Despite our struggles, may we find our peace.
Choreography: Darci Glad
Music: Medley Mix by Darci Glad (Kendrick Lamar; Rex Orange County & Tyler, The Creator; A$AP Rocky; and Frank Ocean).
Performers: Alex Hassell, Cristian Bastidas, Breezy Seegmiller, Danielle Laws, Emily Black, Evelyn Bentley, Herby Fullmer, Jane Erickson, Julian Laws, Lynley Petersen, McKayla Redmond, McKenna Tower, Meg Duncan, Trevor Busch, Tucker Dengin, Tustin Burton
Savoring the memories, embracing the now, hustling for what comes next.
Choreography: Marti Jorgensen, Heath Apple, Kylie Jensen, Summer Bringhurst, Trevor Busch
Music: Medley Mix by Marti Jorgensen (L.A.B & Kings (QUIX Remix); Kings; Childish Gambino)
Performers: Alyssa Lange, Darci Glad, Emily Black, Evelyn Bentley, Heath Apple, Herby Fullmer, Johnathan Miller, Jonathan Torio, Kiyah Clements, Kylie Jensen, Lynley Petersen, Manny Diaz Santos, Meg Duncan, Mykel Ifopo, Summer Bringhurst, Sydney Sandoval, Trevor Busch
Take Five
Choreography: Evelyn Bentley
Music: Medley Mix by Evelyn Bentley (Jonah Nilsson; Omar Apollo; Sofi Tukker)
Performers: Anika Laws, Breezy Seegmiller, Cristian Bastidas, Danielle Laws, Emily Black, Evelyn Bentley, Jane Erickson, Kiyah Clements, Herby Fullmer, Jeremiah Gay, Julian Laws, Marcus Michalek, Mallory Deutsch, Natalie Newbold, Sydney Sandoval, Tucker Dengin
Music: “Moon” by sumthin sumthin
Performers: Collin Adams, Hyrum Nichols, Lazaro Garcia, Tom Durham
This Moment is Your Life
Choreography: Kylie Beck
Music: “Blind (Frankie Knuckles Remix)” by Hercules and Love Affair
Performers: Abbie Kimber, Cristian Bastidas, Darci Glad, Jeremiah Gay, Jonathan Torio, Kylie Jensen, Lynley Petersen, Mallory Deutsch, McKenna Tower, Meg Duncan, Summer Bringhurst, Sydney Sandoval, Trevor Busch, Tucker Dengin
What is evil if not survival with jagged edges?
Choreography: Tonga Lavulo
Music: Medley Mix by Tonga Lavulo (A$AP Ferg; MED & Guilty Simpson)
Performers: Alex Hassell, Alyssa Lange, Cristian Bastidas, Darci Glad, Evelyn Bentley, Heath Apple, Herby Fullmer, Jane Erickson, Jonathan Torio, Kiyah Clements, Kylie Jensen, Mallory Deutsch, Marcus Michalek, McKenna Tower, Meg Duncan, Summer Bringhurst, Sydney Sandoval, Trevor Busch, Tucker Dengin, Tustin Burton
10-Minute INTERMISSION
A collage of sound that’s both nostalgic and new
Choreography: Kylie Jensen
Music: Medley Mix Medley Mix by Kylie Jensen (Run The Jewels; MF Doom; The Avalanches)
Performers: Abbie Kimber, Addison Reading, Anika Laws, Brielle Briney, Cristian Bastidas, Danielle Laws, Darci Glad, Emily Black, Grace Messenger, Heath Apple, Jane Erickson, Jeremiah Gay, Jonathan Torio, Julian Laws, Lynley Petersen, Marcus Michalek, Meg Duncan, Natalie Newbold, Summer Bringhurst, Trevor Busch, Tustin Burton, Tucker Dengin, Yerik Martinez Hernandez
When your past speaks, how do you listen?
Choreography: Heath Apple
Music: “TONYA” by BROCKHAMPTON
Performers: Abbie Kimber, Addison Reading, Alex Hassell, Alyssa Lange, Anika Laws, Brielle Briney, Darci Glad, Emily Black, Jeremiah Gay, Jonathan Torio, Kylie Jensen, Marcus Michalek, Natalie Newbold, Summer Bringhurst, Sydney Sandoval, Trevor Busch, Tustin Burton, Yerik Martinez Hernandez, Tucker Dengin
Music: “Boom Shakalaka’ by Konkrete
The shadow that never fades, the echo that forever answers, is my own.
Choreography: Marti Jorgensen
Music“See Her Out (Thats Just Life)” by Francis and the Lights
Performers: Anika Laws, Breezy Seegmiller, Danielle Laws, Darci Glad, Emily Black, Evelyn Bentley, Herby Fullmer, Jane Erickson, Jeremiah Gay, Julian Laws, Kylie Jensen, Lynley Petersen, McKayla Redmond, McKenna Tower, Meg Duncan, Natalie Newbold, Trevor Busch, Tustin Burton, Yerik Martinez Hernandez
Choreography: Tonga Lavulo, Marti Jorgensen
Filming: Kylie Jensen, Heath Apple
Editing: Kylie Jensen
Music: A Medley Mix by Tonga Lavulo (Robotboys; Drake; A$AP Ferg; Tisme)
Performers: Abbie Kimber, Addison Reading, Alex Hassell, Alyssa Lange, Anika Laws, Avery Kabonic, Breezy Seegmiller, Brielle Briney, Cristian Bastidas, Danielle Laws, Darci Glad, Emily Black, Evelyn Bentley, Grace Messenger, Heath Apple, Herby Fullmer, Jane Erickson, Jeremiah Gay, Jonathan Torio, Julian Laws, Kayla Mather, Kiyah Clements, Kylie Jensen, Lynley Petersen, Mallory Deutsch, Marcus Michalek, McKayla Redmond, McKenna Tower, Meg Duncan, Mykel Ifopo, Natalie Newbold, Summer Bringhurst, Sydney Sandoval, Trevor Busch, Tucker Dengin, Tustin Burton, Yerik Martinez Hernandez
If I've got my gang, I'm good.
Choreography: Trevor Busch
Music: A Medley Mix by Trevor Busch (Lil Wayne; Khalid; 6LACK; Ty Dolla $ign; Clean Bandit, Jess Glynne; Tyga).
Performers: Abbie Kimber, Addison Reading, Alex Hassell, Brielle Briney, Darci Glad, Emily Black, Grace Messenger, Heath Apple, Herby Fullmer, Jane Erickson, Jonathan Torio, Kylie Jensen, Mallory Deutsch, Marcus Michalek, McKayla Redmond, Sydney Sandoval, Trevor Busch, Tucker Dengin, Tustin Burton, Yerik Martinez Hernandez
(Guest piece performed by Tonga Lavulo, Tristan Gray, and Cameron Price)
Choreography: Tristan Gray
Music: Medley Mix by Tonga Lavulo ( The Office; TINMAN; *NSYNC; Flo Milli)
Performers: Abbie Kimber, Alex Hassell, Anahi Aguilar, Anika Laws, Breezy Seegmiller, Darci Glad, Dawson Fernstrom, Emily Black, Manny Diaz Santos, Meshayla Gardinier, Evelyn Bentley, Heath Apple, Isabella Pankratz, Jane Erickson, Jazmyne Sharp, Jeremiah Gay, Johnathan Miller, Jonathan Torio, Kayla Mather, Kylie Jensen, Lynley Petersen, Meg Duncan, Micah Pack, Mykel Ifopo, Sevannah Palethorpe, Summer Bringhurst, Sydney Sandoval, Trevor Busch, Tustin Burton, Yoeli Apumayta Belleza
Let’s cherish tonight, celebrate this moment, and embrace the joy of being here together—because moments like these are what life is all about.
Choreography: Ofa and Haley Vahe
Music: Medley Remix by Ofa and Haley ( Rihanna; Tropkillaz; J Balvin & Anitta; Doechii & JT; Janet Jackson)
Performers: Abbie Kimber, Addison Reading, Alex Hassell, Alyssa Lange, Anika Laws, Breezy Seegmiller, Brielle Briney, Cristian Bastidas, Danielle Laws, Darci Glad, Emily Black, Evelyn Bentley, Grace Messenger, Heath Apple, Herby Fullmer, Jane Erickson, Jeremiah Gay, Jonathan Torio, Julian Laws, Kiyah Clements, Kylie Jensen, Lynley Petersen, Mallory Deutsch, Marcus Michalek, McKayla Redmond, McKenna Tower, Meg Duncan, Natalie Newbold, Summer Bringhurst, Sydney Sandoval, Trevor Busch, Tucker Dengin, Tustin Burton, Yerik Martinez Hernandez
KJ Mills is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher originally from California, raised in Utah. A decorated performer, he has won an Under 18 Pro-Am Latin World Championship event, shared the stage with Mark Ballas, Witney Carson, and Lindsay Arnold, and choreographed and danced in numerous productions. As a choreographer, his work has been featured in They Reminisce, colleges, high schools, and studios across Utah, with his pieces for Ashlund Jade amassing millions of views on YouTube. As an educator, KJ has taught throughout the state, from Provo to Ogden to Tooele, inspiring dancers of all levels.
Paige Rasmussen has been passionate about dance since she was three years old, starting her journey at American Expression of Dance under the guidance of Anne Weichers. Over the years, she trained in a variety of styles, including ballet, jazz, contemporary, lyrical, and hip hop, competing in numerous group routines and solos at competitions and conventions. While Paige loves all styles of dance, she discovered her true passion for hip hop, delving deeper into its culture and techniques through mentorship from the talented Tristan Gray. Her hip hop journey led her to become part of several crews and programs across Utah, expanding her expertise in various styles like new jack, locking, popping, house, waacking, and breaking. Along with her technical growth, Paige has studied the rich history and culture behind these styles, which has allowed her to perform in professional shows, competitions, videos, and battles.
Paige's love for dance extends to teaching, and she has been sharing her knowledge for nearly 6 years. She has taught at multiple studios and had the privilege of leading college courses at Weber, Westminster, and BYU. Hip hop and dance have profoundly shaped Paige’s life, and she is dedicated to passing on her passion and enthusiasm to the next generation of dancers.
Kylie Beck is a passionate and versatile dancer, specializing in house dance while also having a deep-rooted foundation in a wide array of styles. From hip hop to contemporary, ballet to jazz, this diverse training has allowed her to develop a unique movement style, blending technical precision with raw creativity. She continues to bring energy, rhythm and storytelling to every performance whilst committing to sharing the power of dance and its ability to inspire and unite people.
Utah born and raised, Tonga Lavulo started his dance journey with cultural Polynesian dances with his family and later started training in Hip Hop styles such as Popping, Breaking and Hip Hop Freestyle. Battler, teacher and choreographer representing Blowup KingZ and Hybrids crew, Tonga has danced with the Jazz Dancers and had the opportunity to act as the Jazz Break team captain. He currently choreographs across Utah and teaches at Millennium Dance Complex SLC.
Martina Jorgensen is a graduate from Utah Valley University with a BFA in Modern Dance Performance. While pursuing her degree at UVU, Martina performed for Synergy, CDE, and Mos.A.I.C dance companies where she had the opportunity to work with many incredible guest choreographers including Mike Esperanza, Carl Flink, and Kumiko Kashiwagi. Martina was chosen to be a part of the re-staging and performance of Doris Humphrey’s masterful work, Passacaglia, by Jennifer Scanlan and Nina Watt alongside members of Repertory Dance Theater as a guest, student performer, and has also performed with Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company as a guest in Daniel Sharon’s work, Aberrations of Light. Since graduating she has choreographed and performed nationally and internationally most recently traveling to China to perform with the Sino-American Cultural Exchange Program. Martina has taught for RDT’s Dance Center and choreographs for studios and companies throughout the state. She is so excited and grateful to be back home at UVU, now teaching Hip Hop courses and having the opportunity to build and direct a Hip Hop Performance Crew, Esprit d.c. Martina has always had a passion for creating and sharing meaningful art, and she is excited for the chance to make artistic opportunities more accessible to many populations, to help build dance in academia, and endeavor to connect cultures with dance as a bridge.
Ofa and Haley Vahe are choreographers from SLC, UT, met while dancing together, and share a passion for creating impactful movement. They push both themselves and their dancers to grow, believing every piece should tell a story—one that speaks through the performers and resonates with the audience.
As we prepare to welcome the community to experience the wonder at The Noorda, I’d like to thank you for making it all possible.
The performing arts inspire us to engage with others, discover new ways of thinking and feeling, and provides us with hope—in short, we believe the arts transform you. As an exciting hub for the arts in Utah County, we produce hundreds of performances by talented students, faculty, and world-renowned visiting artists. We invite everyone to join in connecting through the arts.
As part of UVU’s inaugural EverGREEN fundraising campaign, we invite you to make a gift to the UVU Department of Dance.
Your gift impacts not only students, but everyone who comes to The Noorda by ensuring programming and exciting artistic creation continues.
Please make a gift today by clicking below. Thank you!
Chair, Associate Professor
Jamie Johnson
Administrative Assistant
LAURAL HILL
Associate Chair
Sarah Donohue
Modern/Contemporary
Dr. Lyndsey Vader
Ballet
Christa St. John & Nichole Ortega
Ballroom
Chris Witt
Dance Ed
Amy Markgraf
